SEYCHELLES’ CELEBRATES FEAST OF ASSUMPTION WITHOUT THE USUAL POMP AND PROCESSION
(Posted 16th August 2020)
The 15th of August is usually the day when the Seychelles’ people flock to the island of La Digue to celebrate the Feast of Assumption, a major religious and community event in the overwhelmingly Catholic nation.
Every year, in the run up to the actual day, do thousands of people take the ferries and private boats to travel to La Digue, where a series of events then culminates in the procession being followed by the grand mass.
This year, as the #COVID19 pandemic rages around the world – even though the Seychelles presently only have one (imported) active case, were these engrained celebrations tuned down and only mass was held yesterday in commemoration at 9 am, noon and 3 pm, restricted to just 100 worshippers each.
All public congregations and fun events ordinarily running alongside the celebrations were cancelled to follow public health regulations put into place to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
Since the airport opening on the 01st of August have several airlines resumed services to the island, notably Ethiopian Airlines, Emirates, Etihad besides national airline Air Seychelles. Air Austral from Reunion and Edelweiss from Switzerland will resume flights in September and other carriers like Qatar Airways too are expected to return to the islands, albeit all of them with initially reduced capacity.
